System and method for integrating third party applications into a named collaborative space

Abstract

A method and system for integrating an instance of a third party application into a collaborative computing environment instance are provided. One or more data interfaces between the third party application instance and the collaborative computing environment are created. The third party application instance is exposed within the collaborative computing environment. A template within the collaborative computing environment that uses the third party application instance is created. A migration tool is used to create collaborative computing environment instances which reference existing instances within the third party application.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method for integrating an instance of a third party application into a collaborative computing environment instance, the method comprising:
 creating one or more data interfaces between the third party application instance and a collaborative computing environment, the one or more data interfaces including a life cycle application program interface, a sensor application program interface, a transactional application program interface, a search application program interface, and a membership application program interface; 
 exposing the third party application instance within the collaborative computing environment by causing the third party application instance to physically appear within the collaborative computing environment via a portlet; 
 creating a template within the collaborative computing environment that uses the third party application instance, the template configured to create a space for the portlet within the collaborative computing environment and also configured to point to the one or more data interfaces and also to the portlet; and 
 using a migration tool to create collaborative computing environment instances which reference existing instances within the third party application. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more data interfaces are created as an enterprise java bean. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the life cycle application program interface is configured for creating, removing, and updating the third party application instance, the sensor application program interface is configured to provide a data reporting instance, the transactional application program interface is configured to inform the collaborative computing environment whether undoing changes is automatic or programmatic, the search application program interface is configured to provide a mechanism to search for a query passed between instances, and the membership application program interface is configured for adding a member to the third party application instance and also for removing the member from the third party application instance. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the collaborative computing environment instances are named collaborative space instances. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , further comprising creating a coexistant catalog of instances for the named collaborative space instances, at least one the named collaborative space instances referencing the third party application. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4 , wherein instances of the third party application and instances within a named collaborative space are manageable by a user within a single user interface. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , further including applying access and permission policy for the named collaborative space instance to the third party application instance. 
     
     
       8. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program which when executed performs a method for integrating an instance of a third party application into a collaborative computing environment instance, the method comprising:
 creating one or more data interfaces between the third party application instance and a collaborative computing environment, the one or more data interfaces including a life cycle application program interface, a sensor application program interface, a transactional application program interface, a search application program interface, and a membership application program interface; 
 exposing the third party application instance within the collaborative computing environment by causing the third party application instance to physically appear within the collaborative computing environment via a portlet; 
 creating a template within the collaborative computing environment that uses the third party application instance, the template configured to create a space for the portlet within the collaborative computing environment and also configured to point to the one or more data interfaces and also to the portlet; and 
 using a migration tool to create collaborative computing environment instances which reference existing instances within the third party application. 
 
     
     
       9. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more data interfaces are created as an enterprise java bean. 
     
     
       10. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the life cycle application program interface is configured for creating, removing, and updating the third party application instance, the sensor application program interface is configured to provide a data reporting instance, the transactional application program interface is configured to inform the collaborative computing environment whether undoing changes is automatic or programmatic, the search application program interface is configured to provide a mechanism to search for a query passed between instances, and the membership application program interface is configured for adding a member to the third party application instance and also for removing the member from the third party application instance. 
     
     
       11. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the collaborative computing environment instances are named collaborative space instances. 
     
     
       12. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the method performed by the stored computer program when executed further includes creating a coexistant catalog of instances for the named collaborative space instances, at least one the named collaborative space instances referencing the third party application. 
     
     
       13. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein instances of the third party application and instances within a named collaborative space instance are manageable by a user within a single user interface. 
     
     
       14. The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , the method performed by the stored computer program when executed further includes applying access and permission policy for the named collaborative space instance to the third party application instance. 
     
     
       15. A system for integrating an instance of a third party application into a collaborative computing environment instance, the system comprising
 a first computing device arranged to execute the instance of the third party application; and 
 a second computing device in operative data communication with the first computing device, 
 the second computing device providing a collaborative computing environment and being arranged to execute the collaborative computing environment instance, 
 the second computing device having: 
 a storage device, the storage device storing:
 at least a part of one or more data interfaces between the third party application instance and the collaborative computing environment, the one or more data interfaces including a life cycle application program interface, a sensor application program interface, a transactional application program interface, a search application program interface, and a membership application program interface; 
 a template within the collaborative computing environment that uses the third party application instance, the template configured to create a space for a portlet within the collaborative computing environment and also configured to point to the one or more data interfaces and also to the portlet; and 
 a migration tool for creating collaborative computing environment instances which reference existing instances within the third party application; and 
 
 a central processing unit functioning to:
 expose the third party application instance within the collaborative computing environment by causing the third party application instance to physically appear within the collaborative computing environment via the portlet; and 
 execute the migration tool to create the collaborative computing environment instance which references the instance within the third party application, the central processing unit being in operative communication with the storage device. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more data interfaces is an enterprise java bean. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the life cycle application program interface is configured for creating, removing, and updating the third party application instance, the sensor application program interface is configured to provide a data reporting instance, the transactional application program interface is configured to inform the collaborative computing environment whether undoing changes is automatic or programmatic, the search application program interface is configured to provide a mechanism to search for a query passed between instances, and the membership application program interface is configured for adding a member to the third party application instance and also for removing the member from the third party application instance. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 15 , wherein the collaborative computing environment instances are named collaborative space instances. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 18 , wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are implemented as a single physical device. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 18 , wherein the storage device further stores access and permission policies for the named collaborative space instance, wherein the central processing unit further applies the access and permission policies for the named collaborative space instance to the third party application instance.